A typical leaf and debris collector utilizes a vacuuming process to transfer leaves and debris from the ground through either flexible hose or through an intake nozzle/ductwork combination into a trailer or other storage container. The collector can be mounted on a trailer and towed during the collection process or mounted on a vehicle and driven along during collection.
On collectors utilizing ductwork as a flow path for leaves and debris, the position of the intake nozzle is usually fixed. However, a fixed intake nozzle is of limited utility since it cannot be adjusted vertically to accommodate leaf piles of varying height or uneven terrain. Also, fixed nozzles cannot be manipulated horizontally and therefore are limited to a narrow collection path. More versatile installations utilize flexible intake hoses to allow for varying conditions and to enhance mobility. Such leaf and debris collectors usually support the intake hose by an overhead boom. The boom is controlled by various means to manipulate the position of the mouth of the intake hose, both in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction to enable the intake to "sweep" across a larger area. Because of the large size of the flexible hoses and the speed necessary to make the collection process efficient, the support and manipulation means must be strong enough to support large hoses and must be quick-acting and movable enough to quickly manipulate the hose mouth on both vertical and horizontal directions.